The 2016 Darley Classic - a 1200m Group One weight-for-age sprint held at Flemington Racecourse - was won by the Peter Gelagotis-trained Malaguerra, with Spieth and Fell Swoop filling the minor placings.

The Darley Classic is arguably the premier sprint race of the Spring Carnival, narrowly pipping the Manikato Stakes by virtue of its preeminent place on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival. The race pits the country's best sprinters against one another as they tear down the Flemington 'Straight Six', the name given to the 1200m (six furlong) Flemington straight.

Many crack sprinters have taken out the race, including the peerless Black Caviar, who took out consecutive Darley Classics in 2010-2011, and Takeover Target, who gave his rags-to-riches owner/trainer Joe Janiak one of the rides of his life.

Darley Classic Winners

The race was first run in 1960 as the Craven A Stakes, won by Karina. It would undergo a further eight name changes before realising its current title of Darley Classic. It was also run under Handicap conditions until 2007 when it became a weight-for-age sprint.

The only three horses to have captured dual Darley Classic victories are Black Caviar, Planet Ruler and River Rough.